Bow To The Sun
by impertinentfool
Summary: Bright wisps of red and orange dance on top of his left palm, and it makes him feel at ease. He still has this. He is still Zuko. /wherein Fire Lord Zuko gets reincarnated into the body of one Shouto Todoroki. Canon-divergence.
1. the beginning

**bow to the sun**

 **Summary** : Bright wisps of red and orange dance on top of his left palm, and it makes him feel at ease. He still has this. He is still Zuko. /wherein Zuko gets reincarnated into the body of one Shouto Todoroki, and everything is the same and different at the same time.

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 ** _chapter i._**

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 **the beginning**

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It is said that the Avatar is the only being in the entire world that is capable of going through the cycle of reincarnation. Spirits of those who had already departed in this life permanently rest in peace, able to go to another plane of existence, where everything all leads to in the end.

Former Fire Lord Zuko of the Fire Nation dies peacefully in his sleep at the age of ninety-nine, just a few hours before his birthday. He dies sitting on his favorite chair, on top of the balcony of his palace. He dies with the image of the burning sun before it disappears over the horizon. It is fitting; in the Fire Nation, sunsets usually symbolize the end of a life, while sunrises signify the beginning of one. It is not surprising that executions in the Fire Nation occur during sunsets.

The first to find him is one of the servants. The second is his daughter and only child. Fire Lord Izumi orders that her father's body be buried in the royal tombs of the palace. She arranges his body to be laid beside his uncle, her late grandfather Iroh. _This_ , Izumi thinks, _is what Father would have wanted._

The next day, the death of the direct great-grandson of the legendary Sozin, esteemed leader of a nation reborn, friend of the Avatar and the former Fire Lord, is announced to the world.

That day, the world dims, and another fire starts somewhere far away.

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The one who welcomes him into his second life is not the one he is expecting. It is a woman. Not his mother. Not Uncle Iroh. An unknown woman, with hair like dull silver and eyes of the same shade, looking at him like he is the mighty sun, sitting on the palm of her hand, a thing she is weary of carrying.

"Shouto," she says, voice cracking.

 _Shouto._

 _Shouto?_

That is not my name, he wants to say, wants to shout, my name is Zuko. But the moment he opens his mouth and urges his voice to work, nothing comes out but an unintelligent garble. Similar to a babe's. The thought makes everything around him stop. Golden eyes slowly stare down at his hand; soft, small, and so unlike his before.

This is not his hand; his hand was wrinkled, rough, full of war calluses and small burns between his fingers and on his palm. This is not his hand. It is a newborn's hand.

His head is spinning. He is supposed to be in the afterlife. In the Spirit World, maybe. Anywhere but in a newborn's body.

 _I am Prince Zuko, firstborn and only son of Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Ursa._

 _I am Fire Lord Zuko, ruler of the Fire Nation, instigator of a new era alongside the great Avatar._

"Shouto," the woman-hand shaking, soft smile and tired eyes-says again, and that is the last thing he sees and hears before the bright lights fade away and darkness welcomes him home, like an old friend.

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When he awakens a second time into consciousness, there are four things he has come to understand.

First, he has been reincarnated into a new body. A baby.

Second, he has retained all memories of who he was before. He is none other than Zuko of the Fire Nation. Every memory of his in his past life is more or less still ingrained in his mind. It is something inconceivable, a feat that seems impossible. Even the Avatar comes to forget the lives it has come to live and experience whenever the cycle of rebirth starts all over again.

Third, the name of the body he currently inhabits is Shouto Todoroki. And the one who held him in her arms earlier was, supposedly, his new mother.

Fourth, he is somewhere far from home. He is not in the world of Zuko anymore. It is a frightening thing. A strange and frightening thing.

Almost as strange as being able to see the world, for the first time in a long time, with eyes placed on an undeformed face.

His tiny fingers slowly pat the left side of his face. It was nice, not to feel any damaged skin on the left side of his face. At the same time he felt sad. Losing his scar was akin to losing his entire identity. His scar symbolized _him_ , made him Zuko.

Without it…he felt empty. A small part of him was glad, but a bigger part of him felt melancholic-it was like _Zuko_ didn't exist, never existed.

No.

That wasn't right.

He was Zuko, child of Ozai and Ursa. Shouto Todoroki is the lie.

Maybe this, all this-it was all a lie.

 _Maybe_ , he muses, _I just have to see and find out._

May the Spirits help him.

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Todoroki Yukie stares at her newborn son, feeling the familiar surge of warmth and protectiveness and fatigue within her; here is her youngest child, a small bundle of red and white and pale peach skin, and she faintly wonders why he has eyes like molten gold.

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 **A/N: A random idea inspired by my brother's ramblings, and because this was bound to happen anyway. We all know that Todoroki is basically the anime version of Prince Zuko. On the other hand, Zuko is a weird combination of both Todoroki (background story) and Bakugou (personality-wise, initially anyway).**

 **ugh I love these characters so much**

 **(actually planning to make another story but this time it's azula who's reincarnated into an OC body in the BNHA world, and they're all fucked because it's AZULA)**

 **Please review! I'll really appreciate it.**


	2. show him fire

**bow to the sun**

 **Summary** : Bright wisps of red and orange dance on top of his left palm, and it makes him feel at ease. He still has this. He is still Zuko. /wherein Zuko gets reincarnated into the body of one Shouto Todoroki, and everything is the same and different at the same time.

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 _ **chapter** **ii.**_

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 **show him fire**

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As the years pass by, he finds out that he's in a completely different world compared to his past one.

For one, this world is far more advanced. There is the existence of complex technologies and inventions all around him, built from more integrated tools, faster and more efficient. Planes so fast they leave streaks of white indentions in the sky, a black box showing images of people broadcasted live (unlike the radio, which only allows sound), small but extraordinary rectangular gadgets all composed of pieces of electronic parts that can serve several different functions (call someone far away in a matter of seconds, like an advanced form of the telephone; take a photograph, play music), encompassed in a compact device. _Phones_. And don't get him started on the _Internet._

He appreciates everything he sees and grabs the knowledge overflowing everywhere around him like an infinite lake, processing every information with his small greedy hands. He is from the Fire Nation, after all, the nation most known for its complex machinations engineered for war (which begrudgingly helped them subjugate the other nations) and better livelihood. It's in his blood.

The world he is currently residing in is filled with hundreds of countries, all with their own distinct culture and beliefs and language, with tens of thousands and millions of people in each country, so big and wide, so vast in comparison to only four nations _._ There are billions of people in the planet he is in. How is it possible? How can the Earth hold this much population, this much weight without giving in?

He learns to read at a very fast pace, a few years earlier than his child counterparts due to the fact that his brain was already catching up to his past knowledge, albeit in a very careful manner. One day he gets a very thick book from the dusty bookshelf ( _The World Almanac,_ it reads in glossy letters) and commits every fact to memory. He also gets a map of the of the world and tries to memorize all the countries-Uganda, Switzerland, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Moldova, Mongolia, Singapore, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Argentina, Madagascar, South Africa, The United States of America, Belgium, Indonesia, Spain, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Singapore, Guam-and fits it all inside his curious three-year old brain.

The world's greatest superpower nation is the United States of America, with China as an emerging one. His country is thousands of miles away from America.

The country he is in is called Japan, a sovereign nation of a hundred million people, a bustling country of innovation belonging to one of the seven continents (East Asia). Its flag is a red circle, a metaphor for the majestic rising sun, and he thinks that the Fire Nation could have been like this in a few decades or less.

It's all very interesting and amazing and _wonderful_.

But the most shocking fact that he comes to know is the fact that this strange new world he is in does not have _benders_. No benders at all. They do not believe in the existence of beings from the Spirit World. Yes, they have the belief of _chi_ , but the people in his new world cannot control or manifest the metaphysical energy that flows throughout the human body, which is the root of bending and therefore essential for any bender. His new world is filled with non-benders. It makes him feel alone.

What's more astounding is that instead of bending, they have _Quirks_.

Quirks are, in a simple sense, special powers granted to the people. It is caused by a mutation in the gene. Each quirk is unique and distinct to the owner, and it starts to manifest at the young age of four. Yes, Zuko is still trying to wrap his mind around it. It is almost like he is dreaming instead of being reincarnated into a different world. It is all surreal. He does not know what is more unbelievable, the state of how he is reborn or the mere fact that this type of world exists.

His mother, who looks fragile and tired all the time but is capable of giving the warmest hugs, has the ability to freeze anyone to death. She can make grandiose ice sculptures with the mere flick of her hand, with the ease that most waterbenders would be envious of. It reminds him of his old friend Katara, whom he knows is still breathing and hopes that she is fine, even though it leaves an aching hole of yearning and homesickness in his heart.

His father…on the other hand, has the ability of fire. His fire is great, so powerful that it can almost be compared to his past father. And whenever he is talking to his wife, or looking into Shouto's ( _Zuko's_ ) golden eyes, he is always talking about the quirk that he should be having already.

And that is how Zuko learns that he is being groomed to inherit both his parents' quirks, because in this world, quirks are genetic and hereditary, the range and versatility of its power depending on the parents of the child. Still, he wishes his not-father would just shut up about it already.

His fellow siblings (none who share the personality of Azula, thank Agni) all have quirks, but none of them show the talent or potential of obtaining _two_. Not yet, anyway. Shouto is only three, nearing four years old, and his father, his new arrogant father, expects him to be the main exception.

Zuko wonders if this was how Azula felt, all these expectations heaped at him from a very young age.

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There are two main groups who utilize their quirks for various reasons: heroes and villains.

It's something out of a fairy tale story.

Heroes are those who use their quirks to serve, to protect. They are treated as celebrities, their faces splattered on every tabloid and news station in the country, young heroes being featured in the magazines and newspapers. They have different kinds of hero names, some funny, some edgy, and some absurd. Famous figures, young and old, known as brave saviors to the general public. The most popular and well-loved of all is All Might, who is akin to the Avatar in terms of the adoration and faith he gets from the public.

Villains, however, go without saying. He wonders what would happen if his past father, cold and ruthless Ozai, lived and existed in this new world. He'd become a villain, no doubt.

His father, surprisingly, is a famous hero known as Endeavor. Almost unbelievable because of his domineering, imposing presence. His quirk is known as "Hellfire". Ironic.

Zuko wonders how he can also become a hero and stares at his small empty palms, imagining it coming to life with the familiar flames he's come to know throughout his whole life.

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He gets his wish on a rainy night.

His not-parents are arguing again in the other room-it's something he's become accustomed to, and he finds his other siblings ignoring it like it's nothing. And so he does as well. It's not like they're his real parents anyway.

Instead, he reads a book entitled "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu while simultaneously watching television in their living room. This time, it's a rare live news broadcast of All Might after he saved ten people from dying in a fire while fighting a tentacle-like monster at the same time. The news anchor says that he defeated the giant thirty-feet monster with just two punches. Wow. Was All Might even human?

"-always, _always_ forcing your own son to partake in your selfishness! I'm so sick of it!"

"Be quiet! Shouto is my son, and I can very well do what I please with him, because he's part of my legacy, you stupid woman!"

"Shouto is _our_ son! He's not just a thing, he's-"

He increases the volume. After the news anchor is done reporting the latest turn of events, they close-up on All Might. Despite the numerous ashes on his face and arms, he manages to give the camera his signature blinding smile of justice, teeth and all. "All Might, how does it feel after a victorious win, knowing that you've saved the lives of many people again? What message do you want to say to the people right now?"

All Might turns to the camera, addressing the audience. " _The face of relief on people's faces is reward enough for me! Being a hero is a wonderful job. Anyone can be a hero, as long as you have the will and compassion to protect_ -"

"Enough! I will protect Shouto from you! You won't mistreat him, not him, not after everything you've done to me-"

"- _anyone with a smile, regardless of the circumstances or challenges that one may face. When you have that endless drive, you gain the courage to save anyone-"_

There is the sound of glass shattering, and a scream.

" _-from anything, with everything that you have."_

Zuko immediately stands up from his position and runs towards his parents' bedroom.

" _Nothing is impossible for a hero."_

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He slams open the door and sees his new father towering over his new mother. There are broken shards of a vase spread on the floor, and his new mother- _Yukie,_ her name was Yukie-is laying down on the ground, a terrified expression on her face, hand frantically trying to shield her face. He can see it-a bluish mark of discoloration on her right cheek-a _bruise_.

There's a sick, cold feeling in his gut, twisting and churning, and he can't look away from the scene in front of him. He'd always had suspicions, doubts, and of course he was right. Todoroki Enji was abusing his wife. It reminds him of his true father and how there was always an air of unease between him and Ursa, how his mother always went rigid whenever Fire Lord Ozai was in close proximity, and he'd notice it but always ignore it. She had always been very good at hiding it, forever acting docile, calm and collected in the face of her husband's silent wrath.

Even with the knowledge of his parents' loveless marriage, he just found out the extent of his father's mistreatment some years after he became the Fire Lord. Even until now, many years later, he still regrets it, how he'd been such a blind child, a failure of a son.

And now it was happening again. Even Ozai knew not to show any disrespect towards his spouse in front of their children. But this time…

Wide gray eyes glance at him, afraid. "Shouto, Shouto, get out of this room right _now_."

Zuko clamps his mouth shut until he feels it bleeding, resisting the urge to say _I'm Zuko not Shouto, I'm Zuko, Zuko Zuko Zuko._

Enji follows her line of vision, staring at him but not really seeing him. "Shouto, _get out_."

 _I'm Zuko, not Shouto, you son of a bitch._

And because he has always been somewhat impertinent, something that had even caused him to have his burnt scar in the first place, he says, "I'm not going until you stop what you're doing."

His mother looks at him in horror.

Endeavor ( _not my father not my father_ ) does not say anything, scrutinizing him for half a second and then shifting his attention away from his three-year old son, back to his battered wife, and it is not until Zuko sees him raising his clenched fist does he. Turn. Livid.

There is suddenly fire and smoke, ready to strike, and suddenly Ursa is in every corner of Todoroki Yukie's terrified face.

Zuko sees red.

He knew in his heart that he couldn't have done anything to protect both his mother and himself from his father, from Fire Lord Ozai. Even when he wanted to.

Because he wasn't strong enough, wasn't brave enough, wasn't aware enough back then. A meager reason, but it was the truth.

A lifetime ago, he had come to terms with that bitter fact and accepted it.

Still.

There's a thrumming in his heart, a roaring in his ears, a familiar spark beneath his fingertips. After three years of living in a body of bone and baby fat, it is not until now does Zuko feel _alive_. He wants to be free of his vessel, of Shouto Todoroki's body, he wants to free the fire growing inside him.

There's a dragon within him, and Sozin's blood sings in his veins.

 _I am Fire Lord Zuko and you are_ nothing.

"Stop. I will _melt_ your face off if you don't back off now, you bastard," he growls out.

Silence.

A sob breaks out inside the room, loud and painful.

Todoroki Enji is now looking at him again- _seeing_ him, and there's something triumphant in his stare.

Zuko- _Shouto_ -follows his stare, to his left hand.

His hand is encased in brilliant flames.

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The sound of sobbing resounds inside the four walls of the room.

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Todoroki Shouto activates a part of his quirk at the tender age of three, one year younger than most children.

A prodigy, his father laughs. (A few months after, when his youngest child develops the power of his mother, Endeavor starts to think in his vengeful heart that there is _hope_. Something that can finally put his insecurities to rest. A gift that can defeat the Number One Hero of all time.)

But here is a secret.

It is not a Quirk.

Todoroki Shouto knows that the fire from his left hand came from another land. A land where dragons once roamed and one could harness lightning just from calling down deep within the depths of the soul.

Todoroki Shouto should feel sadness and disappointment. Dejected.

His mother is more weary of him now, and she starts projecting her husband into her son. Her son _frightens_ her.

Todoroki Shouto should not feel this much happiness in the face of sorrow.

His entire being should not be smiling, especially when his father's laughs grow more raucous and his mother's sobs louder.

But he is not Todoroki Shouto. He is Zuko of the Fire Nation.

Bright wisps of red and orange dance on top of his left palm, and it makes him feel at ease.

He still has this.

He is still Zuko.

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Anyone who knows Todoroki Enji well knows that he is an observant man.

The day his son activated his fire quirk was the day he finally _saw_ what his son really was. His defiant son with his strange golden eyes, calling him words that no three-year old should know, and it would have been laughable if it wasn't so unbelievable.

Todoroki Enji shouldn't have been intimidated but he was. What, a three-year old? Threatening _him_?

But for the first time, he _saw_ his son, saw what was really inside him. There was something else in there.

The gift of controlling flames was not the only thing that Shouto inherited, it seems.

A restless soul.

A spark in his eyes.

A fire in his soul.

His son has the potential to be an even greater hero than him, _Endeavor_. Greater than All Might himself.

At that moment, Todoroki Enji has never felt more proud of his son.

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"Shouto, your training starts tomorrow."

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 **A/N: I feel so proud for being able to write two chapters in two days. Lol. I'll eventually post this story on my Ao3 account.**

 **Sorry in advance if there are any typos since this chapter isn't that much edited.**

 **Please review guys. Last but not the least,**

 **PLUS ULTRA!**


	3. man in a child's body

**Notes: This chapter is set a few months before Zuko develops his ice quirk.**

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 _ **chapter iii.**_

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 **man in a child's body**

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Todoroki Enji's definition of training is more or less what he expected.

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He is forced awake by one of his siblings- _Fuyumi_ , _was it?_ -at the wee hours of the morning. When he opens his eyes, he is greeted by a pair of glasses atop his mother's- _sister's_ -gray eyes.

(He is suddenly reminded of his beloved daughter, but he pushes the thought back.)

She leans back slightly, startled. Even after three years she is still not used to the light ethereal color of her youngest brother's eyes.

"What is it?" Zuko asks, rubbing his eyes. It is still dark outside, with only a few traces of light seeping in.

Fuyumi blinks. "Uh, um…Dad says he wants you to go outside."

There is suddenly a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach, along with an undercurrent of annoyance. "Why?"

"Training."

"At _this_ hour?"

His sister does not respond at first. "Yes. You better go before, you know…before he gets angry." The last words are said in a hush, a whisper, hesitant.

 _I'll show him_ angry _,_ he wants to say, but he does not want to involve his older sibling in any trouble that might ensue because of his temper. For a moment, he feels like he is thirteen again, furious and defiant and _alone_ , sent on an impossible quest orchestrated by his father just to ensure that he would never come back.

Instead, he swallows his spit, and says, "Okay. I'll be there in a minute."

There is an uncomfortable silence between them, and just as Zuko stands up to go and see his bastard of a father, Fuyumi unexpectedly pulls him close into a hug.

He is still, painfully aware of his sharp elbows against her stomach, but he does not pull away. Fuyumi hugs him tighter. She smells like their mother.

"Shouto…I'm _sorry_. For this. For everything. I'm sorry."

He is silent for a few seconds. Finally he opens his mouth. "It's okay. I'm fine."

Fuyumi's words are muffled, so quiet that only the two of them in the world can hear her words. "You're strong, Shouto. I wish I had your strength."

They don't talk after that, and eventually she goes out of the room and closes the door carefully.

Zuko stares at her retreating back, bitterly reminded of how _real_ everything is.

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His father's chosen training ground is located in the open courtyard of their home. The Todoroki residence is huge and traditional in style-all smooth wood (an impractical thing, considering the nature of the quirk of the head of the household) and rows of fresh bonsai decorating the interior and exterior of the estate. Shouto Todoroki's house is huge (although it does not compare to the Fire Nation Royal Palace; it is _miniscule_ in comparison to it).

The open air is cool on his skin and he takes his time to relish it as he wanders through the wide space of the courtyard. When he arrives, he finds Todoroki Enji standing in the middle, arms folded and fire flickering from his form. _Show-off,_ Zuko thinks, but he is too drowsy and too tired to say anything.

"Shouto," his father begins. "Today I'm going to train you on how to control your quirk."

"Okay."

"You haven't shown any signs of your mother's quirk yet, but I know it'll reveal itself soon. I have a good feeling about you, boy. Don't disappoint me."

 _Go eat dust_ , Zuko thinks drily, and then chastises himself. He's not supposed to be having a tantrum in his head. Dear Agni, he hasn't felt this frustrated since his younger years.

Todoroki Enji continues to talk. "You're still young so your fire isn't that strong. That's fine. Even the best has to start from the bottom. We're going to focus on honing your natural talent before we move up to combat stances and forms. Maybe when you're already five we can start with that, but in the meantime I'll make sure your body gets used to any physical strain."

He pauses, waiting for his son to make any comment, any objection. No response. Shouto stares at him, wolf-gold eyes unblinking.

"You're _special,_ Shouto. You aren't like your siblings. They are _weak_. You are not. You are a masterpiece sprung from me and your mother. Never forget that. Or else I'll make it so that you won't ever forget it."

 _What a horrible father you are._

"Don't forget your purpose. You will become the Number One hero for all time. You will defeat All Might. You will become the _greatest_ hallmark of my legacy. Don't worry; you'll thank me for this later in life, boy."

 _Great, you're delusional as well, just my luck I'm-_ Zuko stops his mid-tirade when he sees his father frown at him. He'd unthinkingly spoken out loud.

Instead of blasting him with a fist full of fire, Endeavor bellows out loud, startling the birds perched from the trees. "You have quite a mouth on you. Who taught you those words? Your siblings?"

"No one. Myself."

"From all that reading and watching, huh? Starting from now on, I forbid you from watching television, not until you've mastered everything I will teach you. You're a prodigy borne from your parents' genes, but don't think I'll go easy on you. We'll start right now."

His father- _Endeavor_ -beckons his son closer, making a show of clenching his fist and then opening it, the bright flames from his palm reaching up to his father's face. "What are quirks again, boy?" he asks.

"Quirks are a mutation of the gene-"

" _And_? What else?"

"Quirks are an _extension of one's body_."

"Yes, they are. You've developed your quirk at an earlier age than most. That means you have an advantage over your peers. Don't waste the opportunity. Now do what I just did."

Zuko mulls over grabbing his new father's arm and setting his entire body ablaze just for the heck of it, but he decides against such an unwise action. Grudgingly he relents and calls forth the fire from within him, releasing it unto the tiny palm of his left hand. The fire jumps up to lick at the dip of his chin, once, twice.

It feels _exhilarating_.

"Good. That's good." Endeavor gives him what he thinks is a proud smile. "But power isn't everything; you need to learn how to control it." _I know that more than you._ "Now try to extinguish it without the use of much force. Don't think about it."

He does exactly as he's told. What exactly is the purpose of all this?

"When you use your quirk, you have to think of it as a natural action, similar to breathing. It should be as easy as flipping on a light switch. Don't think too hard about it. Let the fire control you as much as you control it."

In a weird way, that made sense. But something about all this irritated him.

It felt like Endeavor was treating him like a _child_.

But he _was_ a child. A _three-year_ _old_ child. Zuko had never felt like a child; not since his former father decided to teach him a permanent lesson on his _face_.

Something was building up inside him; resentment, frustration, impatience. Pent-up confusion and sadness. Was this the consequence of being reborn again as a child?

Along with having to be apart from his family and friends, instead of dying and passing away peacefully, he just _has_ to be reincarnated into a different world, just to end up as a tool for his new father's personal vendetta of vengeance. It wasn't fair. Hadn't he faced enough hardships in his previous life?

It made him so _angry_ he could hardly breathe.

No. Now was not the time. He had to keep a hold of his feelings in check.

"-Shouto! Are you listening to me?" His father's booming voice suddenly brings him back to reality. Zuko turns towards his irritated father, eyes glaring. Todoroki Enji almost takes a step back; his son seemed like a different person now, compared to a few moments prior.

Choosing to ignore it, Enji takes a stance and faced towards the opposite direction, away from his son. "Look closely. I am going to punch through the air, but I'm going to use my fire quirk to enhance my punch." Shouto remains quiet, but Enji could sense a nervous, tense atmosphere around him despite the calm look on his face.

Enji did what he did best as Endeavor, and afterwards the entire courtyard smelled like smoke.

"Now, Shouto, try to do that. Focus all your energy on your left hand."

Instead of doing that, his youngest son does nothing and just stares at him. There is something uneasy about his stare. It starts to make Enji uncomfortable, so much that he shouts at his son-"Shouto! I told you-"

"I heard you. Now _you_ watch."

Suddenly his son readies himself into an unfamiliar stance, an unreadable expression on his face.

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Zuko feels a horrible moment of déjà vu, flashbacks of when he was ten and Azula was eight and they were expected to perform in front of their great grandfather Fire Lord Azulon. It had been a nerve-wracking moment, and as expected, he wasn't skilled enough, wasn't good enough compared to his younger sibling. He could still remember the hidden sneers on his father's and sister's faces, but along with it, the comforting embrace of his mother.

Now he was doing the same thing, but in front of someone who was not even truly his father, genes and blood relation be damned.

 _I'll show him fire._

Zuko jumps, spinning in the air and kicking, despite his father's yelp of surprise. Fire shoots out from his left foot and leaves red-orange sparks and a gust of hot smoke in its wake, incinerating the cool air. While in the air, he twists the other way and kicks out another jet of fire from his foot. To his back, Todoroki Enji says nothing, quietly observing his son.

Jump, spin, kick, twist, kick, land.

Again and again he repeats the same actions until his small chest starts heaving from the effort. But he doesn't stop.

It didn't matter that he was stuck in a three-year old's body. Controlling his fire like this was familiar, comforting. It made him forget about the cruel reality he was in.

"Shouto, _stop_ -"

Zuko ignores him.

After his feet touch the ground for the fourth time, he shifts his position and raises his left arm upwards-

-and a pillar of fire at least ten feet high shoots into the air, screaming into the darkness like a raging phoenix with its wings forcibly ripped off.

It is so great that the entire courtyard lights up, bathing their surroundings with a warm red glow.

After he is done, he wobbles on his feet and stumbles down unto the ground, trembling and taking short breaths. Zuko stares at his left hand. Where did that power come from?

Slowly, he understands.

The raw power of his vessel combined with the gift of his firebending…

It was something worthy of awe.

His father is still silent behind him, and he doesn't dare turn around.

"That was impressive."

Surprised, he glances over at his back. Endeavor has a disapproving frown on his face, but the shine in his eyes was a different story. They stare at each other, father and son. Finally, the corners of his father's mouth curl up into a smile. "You have _great_ potential. When my quirk first manifested itself, I could only produce a small amount of my power. But you…you are something _special_."

He grins.

"Come closer, boy."

"Don't call me boy. I have a name. Use it," Zuko spits out. _I'm twice as old as you, maybe older._ His father's grin falters a little.

"Even so. You better follow my instructions next time, if you know what's good for you," Enji says. When his son only scoffs at him- _disrespectful brat-_ he considers smacking him for discipline but refrains from it.

Zuko warily trudges over to him. Endeavor stares at him for a second, two, and then gives a benign pat on his head. The gesture is uncharacteristically affectionate, and Zuko- _Shouto_ -glances up, surprised.

A long time ago, he would have _killed_ to have a father like Endeavor. Someone who appreciated him, who spoke greatly of him, unlike Ozai. Ozai, who never showed outright affection, even to his precious prodigy child, the apple of his eyes, Azula. Thinking back, it was embarrassing. He was so desperate for affection back then, and he just had the misfortune of asking it from a man who couldn't care less.

(Even despite all the cruelty and wrongdoings that Ozai inflicted on him and his family, there was still something that he gained from it.

His past made him _strong_. Made him _wise_.

Now he knows, now he sees the truth behind façade. Sees the hidden monster in men like Fire Lord Ozai and Todoroki Enji.)

His father in this world, compared to his father back then (but not the father he acknowledges, that honor belongs to his uncle) is indescribably similar and yet vastly different at the same time.

Todoroki Enji and Father- _Fire Lord Ozai_ -share the same kind of pride that threatens to swallow them whole and the people surrounding them. Their actions directly affect the lives of their families, good or bad, and that is the worst type of person that anyone can ever hope to fight-the type who strongly believes whatever he is doing or saying is right. They are the ones who are willing to burn everything to ashes until only a single crown is left.

But while Endeavor is a raging inferno, passionate and engulfing and brimming with his oppressive presence, Ozai is the fire that starts in the quiet corner and doesn't let you know until you start choking on the smoke that invades your lungs. He is the flame that leaves painful scars all over your body, on your torso, on your wrists, on the left side of your face. The second son of the late Fire Lord who instigated the massacre of an entire tribe is malicious in the way Endeavor is not and will never be, because even for all the envy and bitterness that he carries in his heart, Todoroki Enji is not inherently evil.

* * *

.

.

.

* * *

For that small comfort, Zuko is glad.

He firms his stance and starts again.

* * *

.

.

.

* * *

Endeavor tells him to stop his training for the day. He wanted to encourage initiative and perseverance in his son, but Shouto did it all on his own.

He may be an insensitive, callous man, but even he understands the capacity of a three-year old's body. He doesn't want to overwork his Shouto. His body is still young, and rest is important.

His youngest child just stares at him, golden eyes unwavering. Shortly afterwards, Endeavor leaves the house, prioritizing his hero career over his impudent child.

Zuko shrugs him off and continues to train for two more hours, until the sun starts to rise. Eventually the physical toll takes over his body. Adrenaline cannot keep him going anymore.

 _I've endured training harder than this. I have to train myself harder, longer._

 _I can't hope to beat Endeavor in my current state._ His hands clench the grass under him, form trembling from overexertion. _I have to get stronger. Fast._

He doesn't notice his mother, fearful eyes watching him from above the balcony of their home.

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* * *

 **A/N: Wasn't expecting Zuko and Endeavor to have a sort-of love/hate relationship, but then my fingers started moving on its own. Mind you, Zuko just tolerates him slightly.** **Only** _ **slightly.**_ **And Endeavor is still a piece of crap, only occasionally encouraging.**

 **I've started watching Zuko tribute videos in Youtube in order to get a better feel of his character, and now I remember just why I love him so much. Search for "Zuko & Azula - I'll Be Good" by AniMagix101. It gave me so many feels ughhh**

 **The next chapter would be more emotional, Zuko interacting with his new mother, and another (somewhat) confrontation again with his father. This story will be a bit of canon-divergent, as Zuko is more rebellious and also for other obvious reasons.**

 **Now time for some shameless self-promotion! (lol)** **I'll be posting my reincarnated-into-an-OC-body!Azula fic soon, so stay tuned!**

 **Lastly, please review. Thanks!**

* * *

 **[UPDATE] 05/19/18: I've just posted my reincarnated!Azula fic, so anyone who's interested can see it in my profile.**

 **I'll try to update Chapter Four of this story, although I'm not so sure if I can post it soon, due to some unforeseen circumstances and events right now in my life. So yeah.**

 **Love you guys!**


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